


Burn To Ash

by shineeee_forever



Category: NCT (Band), We Go Up - NCT Dream (Music Video)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dystopia, Angst, Bad Boy Lee Donghyuck | Haechan, Blood and Gore, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, LMAO, Lee Donghyuck | Haechan is a Little Shit, M/M, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Other Ships Not Mentioned in Tags, Slow Burn, Survival, hyuck's a flirt, im sorry, jaehyun in uniform, there may be character deaths i haven't decided yet
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-10
Updated: 2020-05-26
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:27:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24103618
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shineeee_forever/pseuds/shineeee_forever
Summary: “You have sixty seconds before my men open fire on you. I suggest you get moving.”Mark felt his stomach drop. Fuck. He turned around to run, fearing being pumped full of bullets more than whatever was waiting for him in the Feral Zone. His shoes kicked up dust as he sprinted down the gravel road, wind whipping his hair and stinging his eyes. “Close the gate!” the rough voice yelled. The harsh sound of metal on metal made his ears throb. The gate banged shut, and then he was alone with a hundred guns pointed at his back.The last thing he heard as he ran blindly through the darkness was Chenle’s screaming echoing in the night.
Relationships: Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Mark Lee
Comments: 2
Kudos: 16





	1. A Tiny Little Mistake

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys!!! This is my first fic, so please go easy on me hehe
> 
> This fic is heavily based on the book Inhuman by Kat Falls. I changed a bit of the plot, but i would like to give credit to the original author because many ideas in this fic were inspired by her work. The book is one of my favorites and it's absolutely amazing, so check it out if you'd like! :)
> 
> The first chapter will be a bit shorter than the others, just because it sort of introduces the story. Sorry if it seems a little rushed, I was just excited to get to the actual plot line. I will update as soon as I can, hopefully within a few days.

“Come on, hyung. I want to see the Feral Zone before it gets too dark,” Chenle whined as Mark fumbled with the drone. What they were about to do was not only risky, but illegal. “Even if someone sees the drone, they won’t know it’s us controlling it.” Chenle pouted, and Mark gave in. Just like he always did. They stood under the trees near the ginormous wall that surrounded their city, and the sun was quickly dipping lower on the horizon. They didn’t have much time left if they wanted their plan to work.

The impenetrable gray fortress protected the people in the city from what they called the Feral Zone, the land taken over by those infected with the monstrous disease that turned humans into feral animals. It also stood as a reminder of the mistake that ruined the world that was once prosperous. The wall was built quickly, but sturdily, and it had protected the city of Seoul for almost thirty years. 

Mark exhaled shakily. Chenle had always been a troublemaker, not because he was trying to be, but because his curiosity often led to carelessness. Somehow, he always dragged Mark along in his crazy plans, and Mark always agreed so he could make sure the younger boy wasn’t doing anything too terrible. This time though, Mark was also curious. He had lived in Seoul all nineteen years of his life, and the most he had seen of the feral zone was the pictures in textbooks of what the land had looked like before the outbreak hit. To be truthful, Mark was kind of terrified of the Feral Zone. From what he had heard, it was a wasteland taken over by the infected.

He set the drone on the ground and moved back to where Chenle stood, who was practically buzzing with excitement. He took a deep breath as the little machine whirred and rose into the sky, flying higher and higher until it breached the wall and disappeared on the other side.

“Damn,” Chenle mumbled in amazement, “Look at all the trees.” 

Mark leaned in to watch the screen where they saw the view from the drone’s camera. Near the wall, there was a clearing, which must have been made so that the city guards could have a clear view of anything, or anyone, nearing the wall. Beyond that was like nothing either of the boys had ever seen before. Mark gasped. He had never seen that many trees before in his life. Seoul was made up of buildings upon buildings, not leaving many spaces for plants. The trees continued miles and miles in each direction, and the setting sun cast oranges and yellows on to the treetops. Such a beautiful scene had Mark forgetting how dangerous the Feral Zone actually was.

“See if you can go lower,” Mark said to the younger, who pressed buttons on the remote to make the drone move. The camera passed over a dirt road, which led to a gate at the front of the city, allowing military vehicles to come and go. Mark remembered learning about a heavily guarded base a few miles away from Seoul where scientists were working on finding a cure, or at least a vaccine for the disease that took a heavy toll on the population.

The two boys were so invested in watching the screen that they weren’t paying attention to the darkening sky. The drone was lowering down over the trees, inches away from the treetops, when the screen suddenly went black. 

“What happened?” Mark asked.

“I have no idea,” Chenle replied, eyebrows knit together in confusion. The younger boy pressed a few buttons to test if the screen would turn back on, but to no avail.

The second that Mark looked up towards the wall, giant floodlights switched on, lining the top of the wall and lighting up the area near it. Mark’s eyes widened when he realized that the two boys were in direct line of sight of the guards who stood watch on top of the wall. He gripped Chenle’s arm and quickly dragged them backwards to the safety of the darkness, but was stopped short by the shouting of a guard.

“Don’t move,” A gravelly voice called out, projected through a megaphone. “One more step and we’ll shoot you down.”

Both boys froze. They slowly raised their hands in surrender. Mark’s breath quickened when he heard pounding footsteps coming towards them. In only a few seconds, both boys had their hands cuffed behind and were being led towards the giant gate where Seoul opened to the Feral Zone. Even though the gate was closed, Mark was still hesitant to go near it, and received a push from the guard behind him when he halted his movement. He looked up to the top of the wall and saw dozens of other guards, all wearing the same brown uniform, staring down at them. And every one of them had a gun in his hands.

Waiting for them at the gate was a huge man, taller and more intimidating than any of the guards around them. He had burly arms and buzzed gray hair. An evil smirk adorned his face. Mark was beyond terrified.

“You do know that you two have committed a crime, right boys?” The man started, smiling widely down at them. He must be a fucking sadist Mark thought. The two boys nodded at the man’s words. The man chuckled at their expressions and addressed the guards holding the boys still. “Take them to the gate.” He walked away without another word. Mark felt the grip on his arms tighten, and then he was being dragged closer to the gate.

Immediately, Mark started freaking out. He knew the punishment for all crimes in Seoul, but he refused to be fated to the same. Criminals were forced from the protection of the wall and left to fend for themselves in the Feral Zone. A quick look at Chenle, and the older boy was panicking even more. He knew that neither of them were fit to survive even a day in the dangerous world outside the walls. 

“You can’t do this!” Mark shouted at the man’s back. He kicked and shoved the guards around him but they only held him tighter. He was shaking with anger and fear and his vision was getting blurry. “You’ll leave us to die for something so small?” He felt tears welling up. He should have told Chenle “no” when the younger mentioned his plan. Mark was stupid, so stupid, and he was weak for giving in so easily. Now they were going to die. “We didn’t mean anything.” He cried. The guards ignored his protests, easily overpowering him and bringing him closer and closer to the gate. Chenle struggled near him, crying out when a guard got a little too rough.

“Not my problem, kid.” The man said, walking comfortably along while the boys fought against the guards. “A criminal is a criminal, and my job is to make sure each one gets their punishment.”

“Oh shit,” one of the guards holding Chenle exclaimed. “Sir, this is the Zhong kid!” 

The man turned in surprise, recognition coloring his face as he looked at Chenle. He paused for a moment before ordering his men to release the younger boy. Of course they would let Chenle go, he was the son of one of the wealthiest men in Seoul, one of the men who funded the building of the wall. Chenle’s father had power over even the military, it seemed. Mark, on the other hand, was a nobody. The only family he had was a drunkard for a dad who wouldn’t even notice if he was missing. Chenle was his best friend, the only family he had.

“You got off easy, kid, but your friend here won’t.” The man flicked his dark eyes over Mark’s frame. Though Mark felt relief that Chenle was free, he felt a more intense fear of his own fate.

Chenle yelled when the guards dragged Mark right up to the gate. He heard a guard shout and the gate was opened, just wide enough for a person to slide through. A strong hand on each of his shoulders, and he felt the handcuffs being unlocked. 

“Good luck out there, kid,” the giant snickered. His eyes held a look that made Mark feel like he was going to need more than just luck.

“What am I supposed to do?” Mark cried out. The hands on his shoulders steered him to the tiny opening that would lead to his death. He could hear Chenle fighting against the guards behind him.

“You can try your luck at the base down the road. Maybe you can be a test subject for one of their experiments, or maybe they’ll be kind enough to kill you before something worse can.” The big man gave Mark one hard push and then he was on the other side of the wall, vulnerable and quaking. He quickly turned around, only to see the tiny opening being blocked by the man’s huge body. 

“Hyung!” Chenle shouted, voice straining. Mark met the younger’s eyes over the man’s strong shoulder. “I’ll bring you back home, I swear.” Mark choked out a sob, knowing that he probably wouldn’t live long enough to be brought back. He’d probably get attacked by a wild animal, or die of starvation, or get killed by a feral…No, no he couldn’t, he wouldn’t die out there. He would survive. For Chenle. He took a deep breath and turned his eyes back to the man in front of him. The man’s words chilled his bones.

“You have sixty seconds before my men open fire on you. I suggest you get moving.” 

Mark felt his stomach drop. Fuck. He turned around to run, fearing being pumped full of bullets more than whatever was waiting for him in the Feral Zone. His shoes kicked up dust as he sprinted down the gravel road, wind whipping his hair and stinging his eyes. “Close the gate!” the rough voice yelled. The harsh sound of metal on metal made his ears throb. The gate banged shut, and then he was alone with a hundred guns pointed at his back.

The last thing he heard as he ran blindly through the darkness was Chenle’s screaming echoing in the night.


	2. two fine specimens

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maybe Mark has a chance at life in the Feral Zone after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back again with the second chapter!! Once again, this fic is heavily based off of a novel called Inhuman by Kat Falls. This work is in no way meant be disrespectful to the original author or to the characters used in the story.
> 
> Enjoy! :)

Mark had been running down the dirt path for fifteen minutes before he slowed down. The night air was cold as it entered his lungs, and Mark took time to assess his surroundings. Streetlights were placed throughout the path, and the road continued on ahead of him as far as he could see. On either side of the road was a tall, chain-link fence, used to keep the road clear of animals and ferals. It was clear that the fence was built quickly and carelessly. A chill went down Mark’s spine as he realized how little protection it provided. If the rumors he had heard about ferals were true, that fence would only be a weak obstacle for a hungry feral. The worst part was that Mark couldn’t see beyond the fence, but he had no doubt that something was watching him from the darkness. Mark started walking more quickly, before breaking into a run again when he heard an animal, or maybe a feral, howling in the forest.

About an hour later, Mark reached the military base he had learned about. Although he had seen the lights from far away, they didn’t prepare him for how huge the base actually was. The base looked like a mini city with how many buildings there were. 

The path Mark was on opened up to a big area that seemed to be where the military vehicles were kept. Past the vehicles was a giant fence, but an electric one, based on the light buzz and crackling Mark could hear. Huge spotlights were scanning the trees and around the vehicles. Mark quickly hid behind a jeep to not be seen. 

Mark remained crouched by the jeep as he assessed his options. He could go to the gate and wait for someone to appear and maybe let him in. No, he’d probably get shot before he would get the chance to explain himself. Maybe he could sneak in? He looked for a break in the fence. Nope. Of course there wouldn’t be. 

Voices interrupted Mark’s thoughts, and his head whipped to the direction they were coming from. A couple of guards in gray uniforms were strolling over to a vehicle about fifty yards away from him. His eyes travelled back to the electric fence and noticed the front of the gate was opened. This was his chance! He looked back to the guards who were busy near the vehicle. All he had to do was sneak around behind the vehicles until he got closer to the gate, and then hide once he got inside. His plan was risky, but he’d rather be inside the base than be stuck outside of it where there was no protection. There were no other guards nearby from what he could see, and there was a clump of trees right inside the fence. He could hide there. He took one last deep breath before turning around, but his eyes were met with a greenish-gray uniform. 

A guard stood in front of him, feet planted firmly in the ground, and pointing a pistol at Mark’s crouched form. Mark froze in place, and slowly raised his hands in an act of surrender. The man watched him closely with eyes of steel. “Who the hell are you?” The man’s voice was a deep, pleasant sound, but it had an edge to it that made Mark fear for his life. 

Mark gulped and inhaled shakily, “I’m from Seoul.” The man raised an eyebrow. “Please don’t shoot me, they forced me over here.” Mark cringed at himself. He was on the ground, basically begging for the man to not kill him. 

The man examined Mark for a few more seconds. “You don’t look like a criminal. Guessing your crime wasn’t too terrible, was it?”

Mark shook his head, replying with a simple “Drone.”

The man shook his head with a chuckle, making dimples appear on his cheeks. He was very handsome, too handsome to be a guard. Mark thought that he should be in Seoul modelling for some fashion brand instead. The man lowered his gun and put it into a holster at his waist. “Those bastards in Seoul are too excited about sending kids to the Feral Zone.” The man’s voice was bitter in that sentence. “Get up.” He commanded, and Mark immediately obeyed, dusting off his pants once he was on his feet. 

“What’s your name?” The guard asked.

“Mark.”

“Mine’s Jaehyun, and I’m going to help you.” Jaehyun’s voice had lost the edge it initially had. Mark raised his eyebrows at Jaehyun’s words. 

“What do you mean?” Mark asked, bewildered.

“What I mean is that I’m going to make sure no one kills you, and I’m going to get you somewhere safe.” Jaehyun looked around before taking off his hat and uniform jacket, revealing an undershirt of the same greenish-gray color, and handed them to Mark. “Put these on and get in the passenger seat.” He gestured to the jeep next to them. 

Mark complied without question, too relieved that Jaehyun was helping him to even wonder why he was anyway. Jaehyun slipped into the driver’s seat, producing a set of keys and cranking the vehicle. The engine roared to life. Jaehyun drove the jeep through the gate and around a few buildings, and Mark tensed up everytime the vehicle passed any guards. 

Jaehyun parked the jeep at the back of a building smaller than many of the others around it. Jaehyun checked to make sure the coast was clear before gesturing to Mark to get out of the vehicle. The guard led him through a door into the small building and down a long hallway. The walls and floor were alabaster, and the building smelled like a disinfectant and chemicals.

“What is this place?” Mark asked quietly, following Jaehyun’s lead precisely.

“It’s our hospital, but mostly it’s just used for working on a vaccine.”

“You mean, a vaccine for the feral virus?” A chill went down Mark’s spine just thinking about it.

“Yep, the scientists do most of the testing here. Unfortunately, they haven’t got very far in their research.” They turned a corner and headed down another long hallway. 

“Why haven’t they gotten very far?” Mark asked curiously. 

“Well, they have to collect all the different strains before they can start trying to find a vaccine or a cure,” Jaehyun answered, like it was an obvious answer. 

Mark stopped in his tracks. “What do you mean ‘different strains’?”

Jaehyun turned around to face Mark, looking at him like he had just grown two heads. “The strains of each animal from the original experiment?”

“What… Experiment?” By this point, Mark was confused as all hell.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Jaehyun muttered. “You’re joking right now, right? Please tell me you’re joking.” Jaehyun looked just as confused as Mark felt.

“I have no fucking clue what you’re talking about.”

Jaehyun laughed exasperatedly and pulled Mark into a room near them. The inside was cramped and seemed to be a supply closet. There were shelves lining the walls, and boxes were overflowing with materials.

“Since, apparently, Seoul doesn’t teach people about what really happened, I’m going to tell you right now.” Jaehyun ran a hand through his hair and looked into Mark’s eyes. Mark was taken aback at how Jaehyun’s steely eyes now had a hint of sadness in them. 

“So to make this quick, the virus started long ago when some dumbass scientist decided to experiment on people. No one really knows what he was trying to achieve by doing this, but he mixed animal dna into the humans’ dna. The sick bastard had hundreds of human pets kept in cages for the pleasure of experimenting on.”

“Over time, the people started changing. They weren’t humans anymore. They mutated into disgusting things, growing fur and horns and sharp teeth. The mad scientist guy had also mixed multiple animal dna in his test subjects, making these terrible combinations that makes it even harder to create a cure for. But worst of all, their brains...changed. They became creatures with only one thought: to kill.” Mark shivered at Jaehyun’s words. 

“When the government suspected something was up, they sent some people to the scientist’s lab. The guy was nowhere to be found, but they found the humans in cages and let them loose, not knowing how fucked up they were. Well, the experiments attacked them, turning each one of the government’s people into animals just like themselves.”

Mark looked down at his feet, feeling apprehensive about believing the guard’s words. He had been told otherwise about the virus his entire life, how could he believe this guy he had only just met?

“It didn’t take long for the virus to spread, and for three-fourths of the population to be lost to it. And now we’re here.” Jaehyun finished. “Believe me, or don’t, but once you see one of those things, you won’t have a choice.”

Mark nodded, lost for words. He was taking in the information, but he was still in shock.

“So,” Jaehyun continued talking. “Here’s the plan. You’re going to stay in this closet until I come back to get you. No guards should be coming through this area during the night, so you should be fine. But if anyone comes in, hide. You don’t want to be caught by anyone on this base.” He paused for a second. “In fact, you’re super lucky I found you. Anyone else would have blown your head off the second they saw you.” Jaehyun had a proud little smirk on his face, and Mark would be irritated at his smugness if he weren’t so grateful that Jaehyun had spared his life.

“How long will you be gone?” Mark asked, a bit nervous to be alone again. 

“A few hours, not too long.” He checked the watch on his wrist and grabbed the door handle. With one last look at Mark, he said “I have to go now, but I’ll be back soon. Stay hidden.”

Mark nodded, and, satisfied, Jaehyun walked out the closet, turning off the light behind him. Mark found himself sitting in the farthest corner of the closet, hoping the spot would be hidden enough. His head fell against the wall and he thought about what Jaehyun said. In school, Mark had learned that the ferals had been infected with something like rabies, but what Jaehyun told him was completely different, and a lot more terrifying. He couldn’t even imagine being close to one of those things, much less seeing one. And why were the teachers misinforming their students, if what Jaehyun said was actually true? While Mark was busy mulling over those thoughts, his body finally registered how exhausted he was. Only a few minutes later, his eyes slipped shut and he fell asleep.

Mark awoke to the sound of the door opening. Initially, he thought the person entering was Jaehyun, but the light didn’t come on and the person didn’t acknowledge him. Mark held his breath in the corner and watched a flashlight beam trace over the boxes of supplies. A hand grabbed supplies from multiple different boxes and shoved them into a backpack. The person must have already known where everything was, judging by how fast their movements were. The person tried to open a box, but it was taped shut, so they pulled out a machete to cut the tape. A fucking machete. Mark couldn’t help but let out a gasp when he realized that the person must not be a guard, because guards don’t just walk around carrying machetes.

The person froze in place, and Mark heard a quiet “What the hell” before the lights switched on. 

When Mark’s eyes adjusted to the sudden light, he was faced with a boy around his age. The boy had golden skin and shaggy brown hair, highlighted from the sun. His clothes were raggedy: a dirty white shirt full of holes and cut-off khakis ending above his knees. He wore a pair of boots that looked a little too nice to be paired with his outfit, and a variety of scars littered his skin. His eyebrows were furrowed as he examined Mark. 

Mark didn’t move a muscle, in fear of the boy attacking him, and the boy turned back to his task after realizing that Mark was hardly a threat. Mark watched the boy take materials, valuable materials, from the boxes and place them in his own bag. Those were medicines and wound care supplies. Things that are very important in a hospital. Mark jumped up from his hiding place and stepped closer to the boy, who paid him no mind.

“You can’t take those.” Mark said, not sure why he was even bothering.

The sunkissed boy looked at him as he crouched down, grabbing another box to rummage through. “And why not?” He asked, voice uncharacteristically sweet. 

“Because,” Mark started, “Those are hospital supplies. You can’t just steal from a hospital.”

“Who said I was stealing?” The boy smiled at Mark, a smile that revealed white teeth and sharp canines. The boy was attractive, Mark had to give him that.

“Well, you’re not a guard.” Mark struggled to find words.

The boy stood and stalked the short distance over to Mark, a little too close for comfort. “Well, you aren’t either, pretty boy.” His voice was a tinkling sound in Mark’s ears. He ran a finger down Mark’s jaw. 

Mark furrowed his eyebrows and quickly swatted the boy’s hand away. The boy laughed, “Feisty, aren’t you?” He turned around once more to zip up his backpack and put it on his back.

Mark ignored the boy’s words and grabbed the boy’s shoulder, a bit roughly, to stop him from leaving the closet. “I won’t let you take those supplies. They need them here.”

When the boy turned to face Mark again, there was no sign of that teasing smile from earlier. His face was stony, and he looked dangerous. Mark gulped and immediately released the boy’s shoulder, but the other boy was already taking steps towards him, causing Mark to walk backwards. His back hit a shelf and the other boy pinned him against it. Mark’s breath became shaky at their close proximity. “Look, you’re cute and all, but I’m the one with the machete, and I won’t hesitate to use it.” The boy’s voice was low, and it sounded as dangerous as he looked. 

Mark nodded, though his mind screamed at him to keep fighting him. Even though the boy was about the same height as him, Mark was extremely intimidated by his presence.

“Good,” Mark could feel the boy’s breath ghosting over his neck, and goosebumps rose on his skin. His eyes were wide, waiting to see what the other boy would do next. After a tense minute, the boy laughed lowly, surprisingly Mark yet again. God, this guy was too unpredictable. 

“You look like a scared bunny,” the boy chuckled. His eyes lazily traced Mark’s figure, then returned to his face. “It’s a shame that you’re such a goody two shoes, ‘cause I wouldn’t mind spending a night with you.”

A few seconds passed before Mark’s cheeks flooded with warmth, understanding the boy’s implication. He stuttered in embarrassment. The boy gave a satisfied grin and released Mark from where he had been pinning him. Just as he had taken a step backwards, the door to the closet swung open.

Jaehyun, in all his uniformed glory, entered the closet. Mark let out a sigh of relief that he wouldn’t be stuck with the strange, dangerous boy any longer. But much to his dismay, Jaehyun didn’t even look surprised to see the other boy in the closet too. 

“Hyuck,” Jaehyun said irritatedly, albeit gently, to the other male. “I told you to stop stealing from the hospital.” His voice was fond as he spoke to the thief. Mark’s jaw dropped at the realization that the other males knew each other.

“Who would I be if I listened to your rules, hyung?” The boy, Hyuck, smiled, the softest expression Mark had seen from him. 

Jaehyun smiled back, dimples on full display. “Actually, I’m glad you’re here.”

“Well, that’s a first.” Hyuck interrupted, chuckling a bit.

“I need you to take Mark to Neo.” Jaehyun gestured in Mark’s direction. “I see you two have already met.”

Mark was already protesting before Hyuck could respond. “Oh hell no. I’m not going anywhere with him. He threatened me with his machete, and then said he wants to sleep with me, not even thirty seconds later!” That Hyuck guy made him nervous, in more than one way. Mark would definitely rather stay with Jaehyun.

“Well I wouldn’t have done that if I knew you were already Jaehyun’s toy.” Hyuck shot back, wicked smirk on his lips.

Mark was about to yell at the boy, feeling more confident knowing that Jaehyun wouldn’t let Hyuck hurt him, but Jaehyun quickly cut in. “Hyuck, that’s enough. Mark isn’t anyone’s toy.” He turned his gaze to Mark. “And you are going with Hyuck to Neo. You’ll get killed if you stay here, and you’ll be safer with Hyuck than anyone else, even any of the guards on this base.”

Mark didn’t know how true that last part was, but Hyuck did look pretty dangerous. He quickly agreed to go with the other boy, only because he was trying very hard to avoid death. Hyuck looked a bit too smug, either from Jaehyun’s comment, or from Mark changing his mind so fast. Probably both.

“Okay, so I have a shift at the South gate in a few minutes. I’m the only one watching that area tonight, so I’ll let you guys out there.” Jaehyun eyed both boys. “You’re both very lucky that I’m so nice.”

“Wait, we’re going off the base?” Mark panicked. Jaehyun couldn’t make them go into the Feral Zone, he was supposed to be the good guy. 

“Duh,” Hyuck replied rudely. “That’s how we get to Neo.”

“And, what is Neo?” Mark frowned.

“Compound 127, or Neo, is a fortified town south of here where a bunch of people are living.” Jaehyun answered this time, a lot more nicely than Hyuck had. “You’ll be safe there, and you can find work and a place to stay.”

Mark nodded. Well, what else was he supposed to do? Going to Neo was his only choice if he wanted to live. He was going to have to make a life in this world he’d only heard about, or he’d have to die. He had a sudden longing to be back home, in his hammock on the roof, admiring the stars that shone so bright in the dark sky. He missed his soft bed. He missed his dogs. He missed Chenle. The younger boy had been the closest thing to family that Mark had in years. Mark would be with him now if they hadn’t flown that stupid drone over the wall.

Once again, Jaehyun checked his wristwatch. “Alright, it’s time. Let’s go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jaehyun in uniform, am I right?
> 
> Comments/kudos are always appreciated :)

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed! Please leave kudos/comments if you'd like, they are always appreciated :)


End file.
